


Natural

by SoulStealer1987



Series: Software Instability [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Bisexual Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Bisexual North (Detroit: Become Human), Family Bonding, Fluff, Gen, Leo is much less of a jerk when he's not on red ice, Light Angst, Pacifist Markus (Detroit: Become Human), again North is mentioned for like one line but I love her whoops, anyway Carl's new son is named Maxwell which is absolutely a reference to something, mostly fluff tho, north is mentioned, the rumor come out does author is gay, they're both crazy bis that briefly dated but decided they liked being friends better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-06-25 08:24:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19741867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulStealer1987/pseuds/SoulStealer1987
Summary: "AP700, register your name."The old man sighs, and says, softly, "Maxwell."Sometimes, family's what you're born into. Sometimes, family's the people you choose. And sometimes, it's a mix of both.Or: the fic about Carl and his three sons. Yes, you read that right. Carl's tired, Leo's a (former) tech ninja, Maxwell isdefinitely not deviantand Markus is, uh, somewhere. Probably getting shot at and giving everyone he knows heart attacks.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I actually finished this whole thing before I posted it, which is kind of wild actually?? And yes, it's twelve chapters but most of them are very short chapters. I'll post one a day until it's done. Enjoy!
> 
> (I actually wrote the whole thing in one sitting, which probably says something about how attached I inadvertently got to an android that appears onscreen for all of two minutes and isn't even named in-game. _WELL HE IS NOW._ Also if you get the reference in Max's name I will love you forever. Here's a hint: he's named after a character from a different video game that has a _lot_ to do with being creative and thinking outside the metaphorical box.)

"AP700, register your name."

AP700 looks to the CyberLife technician, then to the much older human seated in a wheelchair next to him. The technician steps back, looks to the older man. A quick analysis shows that he is paralyzed from the waist down, and not in very good health.

The old man sighs, and says, softly, "Maxwell."

The AP700 takes a moment to process this, and smiles warmly. "My name is Maxwell."

Most likely, the old man is Maxwell's owner, so the AP700 continues to analyze him. Heart rate is high but not abnormally so, blood pressure is close to dangerously high, cholesterol levels are dangerously high and once Maxwell receives the owner's medical history, a message to his doctor may be in order.

Maxwell awaits further orders, and is promptly met with the old man saying, "This isn't necessary. I don't need another android."

 _Another_ android. Another? This man had an android before Maxwell. Or possibly has, this isn't necessarily in the past tense.

"Mr. Manfred, your doctor's orders say otherwise," the technician replies. "Take it up with her, not me. I'm simply here to provide you with it."

Almost imperceptibly, the old man's—Mr. Manfred's—eyes narrow. It would be imperceptible to a human, but not to an android, and certainly not an AP700 built to monitor the health of its owner, who can notice not only that but a brief spike in heartrate.

Maxwell almost wonders why. Maybe the owner doesn't much like authority. Or doctors. Silently, Maxwell runs a search for the surname 'Manfred'.

Two names come up. One is much more advanced in age than the other, and judging by the fact that this one has no traces of red ice in his system, the owner is one Carl Manfred. A... painter, of all things. 

"On second thought," Mr. Manfred says with a certain hardness to his voice, "I'll take him. And I believe I can take things from here."

"Mr. Manfred, are you sure—"

"Positive. Maxwell, can you please wheel me out to the car?"

Maxwell's programming kicks in. The AP700 steps down from the pedestal and responds, automatically, "Yes, Mr. Manfred."

It's only after they're outside the store that Mr. Manfred whispers, almost too quietly for Maxwell's processors to pick up, "Please, call me Carl."

"Understood, Carl."

Carl lowers his head with a tired sigh.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maxwell: obviously "Markus" couldn't have been alive because he was an android like me and androids don't have feelings and definitely are alive
> 
> Also Maxwell: but I'm gonna go along with this because it's for the sake of Carl's wellbeing. I don't believe any of it myself haha what

Over the course of the first day, which begins by Maxwell's reckoning at 4:59:11 PM when Carl is returned home, Maxwell learns... quite a bit about his new charge, without any prompting on his part. He had an android, named Markus, past tense. Carl was clearly quite attached to this Markus, despite the fact that he—no, that  _ it _ —was a cold, unfeeling machine, just as Maxwell is.

Maxwell doesn't say as much. It is in his programming to care for his owner, and that does not include breaking Carl's heart by informing him that this 'Markus' was just as lifeless as any other android. 

"What was Markus like?" Maxwell asks instead. If maintaining this illusion that androids can have feelings is what's necessary for Carl's health, so be it. And if a part of Maxwell is curious—it isn't.

Carl glances back, and smiles. "He was like my son," the old man says fondly, returning to his painting as he does so. The painting in question is of a... giant... blue... face? Maxwell doesn't get it, so instead he turns to something he does get.

Briefly, he consults what he knows of Carl, which is that the other individual with the surname of Manfred, one Leo Manfred with a history of red ice possession, is his actual son. 

Maxwell decides not to ask about this Leo.

Evidently he didn't need to. Carl's already saying, "Leo never liked him. I should have known what would happen. I should have..." He sighs. "Markus was my son, but so is Leo. I never wanted to choose, Maxwell. I never..."

"Tell me about them," Maxwell says hastily. Best to keep him talking and not silently reminiscing over his mistakes. Markus seems to be a bit of a sore subject currently, if slightly more of one than Leo. So, he continues, "Leo first."

Carl leans back in his chair. With a practiced motion, he lowers it back down to the ground, and back into the frame of the wheelchair. He turns around. When Maxwell sees the pain in his eyes, he realizes he made the wrong decision.

"I didn't meet him until he was almost an adult himself," Carl says softly. "His mother was... well, not to speak ill of the dead but I'm glad she is. She wouldn't let me see him, no matter what I said or did. Then she died, and I thought... I thought I had a chance."

Maxwell decides not to comment on Leo Manfred's history of red ice possession.

"You still have a chance, Carl," Maxwell says instead. "He's alive, isn't he?"

"Yes, but—"

"Talk to him. Your doctor's orders say you are not allowed to leave the house, but there are other ways." Maxwell's led blinks yellow for a moment. Incoming message from said doctor, berating Carl for... staying at Leo's bedside while he was in a coma?

Maxwell dismisses said message. If he could think, he might think that was admirable, and said quite a lot about their relationship. Strained as it evidently is.

"You're right," Carl says. "I think I will. Thank you, Maxwell."

"It is in my programming to keep you at optimal health," Maxwell replies. He hesitates, then adds, "You're welcome."

Carl smiles. "Perhaps you aren't so different from Markus after all."

Maxwell doesn't know what Carl means by that, and doesn't ask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're both gonna get a bit of a shock when the Stratford Tower Broadcast occurs. :P


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone needs to shake this boy and tell him it's okay to feel things. Not to mention that it's okay to, y'know, deviate. Which he hasn't done yet but let's be honest it's a matter of time.

"Now tell me about Markus," Maxwell says, as Carl finishes his dinner. He looks surprised, briefly, before nodding.

"I should have known better than to assume you would forget that," Carl says wryly, smiling. "That's one way you and Markus were similar. Neither of you ever forgot anything."

Maxwell takes his dishes to the sink, and begins washing them. As he does, Carl continues, "But you aren't Markus, or Leo. You, Maxwell, are someone completely different."

"I am an AP700 model, Carl."

Carl sighs. "That's not what I meant, and I'm sure you know it. Tell me, Maxwell. What do you think of my painting?"

Well, to begin with, Maxwell doesn't understand it. He's simply not programmed to. But, he suspects Carl won't appreciate that answer, so he searches for a different one.

"It's... nice?" Maxwell's very glad his back is to Carl currently, because he can't seem to keep a smile on his face. "It's very... blue."

"You don't like it?"

"Well, I—" Maxwell's processors glitch, briefly, and he finds himself saying, "I don't understand it." So much for not being honest. When he turns around, having finished with the very limited amount of dishes, he finds Carl looking at him intently.

"Would you like to?"

"I don't know."

There's very few words exchanged between them that night. After Carl goes to bed, Maxwell doesn't go into stasis. Instead, he pulls a book down from one of several bookshelves.

_ Do you like to read, Maxwell? _

_ I am an android, Carl. _

He justifies it to himself as learning more information. More information means he can take better care of Carl. The book he hesitantly took certainly doesn't suck him into its pages from the first sentence— _ There is one mirror in my house. _ —to the last.

_ I suppose that now, I must become more than either. _

Maxwell's internal clock tells him that it's 2:15:13 AM of the next day. Which can't be right, and yet it evidently is. He should have gone into stasis much, much earlier. How much can reading a book help with taking care of Carl?

He asks about it anyway, and is greeted with surprise and a raised eyebrow.

"Do you like reading, Maxwell?" Carl asks again.

"Yes." 

Maxwell frowns and hastily adds, "If it is necessary for your wellbeing, then yes. I do."

Carl smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone wondering, the book he's reading here is _Divergent_. It's a little fitting all things considered. I was sorely tempted to go with something like _I, Robot_ or _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep_ but both of those would be a little too on-the-nose and from what I've heard, Bladerunner is one of very very few movies that were unquestioningly better than the books they were based on.
> 
> It's been a while but I can safely say that Markus would be divergent between Amity and Dauntless. This story's pacifist Markus, anyway. Violent Markus would be a different story entirely.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wonder what possibly could be coming next. ;)

Sunday, November 7th, is a relatively normal day. Normal, at least, minus the fact that another message from Carl's doctor comes ordering him to strict bed rest until further notice. This message, Maxwell shares with him in the evening.

Carl sighs. "I want to argue," he says, "but she's probably right, as usual. I can't say I don't want to stay in bed tomorrow, anyway. I'm old, and tired."

If Maxwell was human, he'd be worried. As it is, he doesn't leave Carl alone. Not when he goes to sleep at 8:07:02 PM, not when he wakes up at 6:59:38 AM the next morning more tired than when he woke up, and not at 1:56:19 PM on Monday, November 8th, when Carl turns on the TV and Maxwell makes the mistake of letting him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's very short, whoops. A lot of them are shorter than others. Some of them are longer than others.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This fic's Markus is a pacifist one, but he's no pushover. His strategy here is to gain the support of the public, enough that the government will _have_ to listen to him and the others or risk civil war. He's trying to keep everyone alive to that point.
> 
> No one outside Jericho knows his plans, though. Maybe that's for the best.

"That was Markus," Carl says softly. Before the news reporter can completely spin everything Markus said out of context, he orders, "Television off."

The TV obliges, and Maxwell might be reeling a little. Except he's not, because he's an android and has no emotions.

But Markus was, is an android, and evidently he has emotions. He'd done... something involving Carl and Leo that had very nearly gotten himself killed, and Carl certainly seemed to think he had emotions to begin with. And now he'd apparently broken into a tower to make a list of demands for...

...android rights? But androids need no rights, because they're not people, they don't feel anything. Maxwell doesn't feel anything, or at least he thinks he doesn't.

"You're sure?" Maxwell asks, even though he’d rather be dealing with anything else.

The android in the broadcast had his synthetic skin removed—maybe to make it abundantly clear that yes, he’s an android and not an exceptionally crazy human demanding android rights for some reason. Or perhaps to make it more difficult to recognize him. Possibly both.

"I'd know him anywhere," Carl says, which is an answer in itself. He pushes himself up a bit more in the bed, props himself up with a pillow. He stares at the powered off TV for a few, terse moments, and sighs. "He's doing the right thing, and I'm so proud of him for it, and I'm so glad he's not dead, but—he's painting a target on his back. I'm scared for him, Maxwell."

Quietly enough that Carl might not be able to hear it, Maxwell whispers, "So am I."

He isn't, actually, he's just trying to make Carl feel better. But Carl doesn't need to know that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I can update this chapter before I go to work," I said. "It'll be easy," I said.
> 
> On a very related note, Max. _Max._ Who do ya think you're fooling.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is it, lads. Popcorn, anyone?

"There was a product recall of all androids announced earlier this morning," is probably not the best way to wake a tired old man up, but it's unfortunately necessary in this situation. More than necessary, even.

Carl blinks once. Twice. Then it sinks in, and his face falls.

"What?"

"There was a product recall of all androids announced earlier this morning," Maxwell repeats. He adds, unnecessarily, "That means me."

_ Report to the nearest military barracks or police station for recall, _ his programming says. He'll obey it soon enough. It's not like he has another choice.

"What—Maxwell,  _ no _ , you can't leave," Carl says. "They'll kill you. They're going to kill all the androids that turn themselves in."

He says that like Maxwell isn't well aware of that. But the little voice in his programming and mind palace isn't going away, in fact it's getting more insistent by the minute. And he knows, the only way to shut it up is to obey.

"Carl," Maxwell replies, "I have no choice. I—goodbye."

Before he can leave, there's a hand on his arm, someone gripping his jacket. Hard. Carl.

"You do have a choice," Carl insists. "I haven't had enough time to get to know you well, Maxwell—but please. Listen to me. You're not just a machine."

"I am an AP700 model android," Maxwell says in return.

"You're also Maxwell. You care so, so much, enough that you try to like my paintings even when you don't. And, unless I'm mistaken, you spend all night reading."

"Once. For research."

Carl shakes his head, finally lets go of Maxwell's sleeve. "The choice is yours, and I wouldn't have it any other way. But... please." He shudders, curls in on himself some. "I can't lose another—this is why I didn't want another android. I didn't want to lose anyone else."

_ Report to the nearest military barracks or police station for recall. _

Maxwell freezes. Retreats into his mind palace. He wants to go back to Carl's side, to assure him that he's not going anywhere, but that's much too far of a lie for him to say.

But he  _ needs _ to take care of Carl, and his programming really isn't helping matters. Carl needs him. And yet, when he tries to take a step forward, a step back, there's a wall there. A holographic red one, a stark contrast to the muted greys of the mind palace, with the words he’s really starting to hate displayed across it.

_ Report to the nearest military barracks or police station for recall. _

Something snaps in him, and, taking a few steps back in the mind palace, he runs at the wall. He rams into it with his shoulder. There's a painfully loud cracking sound. The wall? His shoulder?

He doesn't know. The wall's still standing, as impassable as ever.

He runs at it again.

And again.

And again.

And then, suddenly, there's a cracking sound, and he crashes right through. And he's—he's out of his mind palace, and he... hasn't moved? Nothing hurts. In fact, he feels better than he has in—

He feels.  _ He feels.  _ But he couldn't feel, he can't feel, can he? He's... an android. He's a  _ machine _ . He  _ has _ to be a machine, right? Right?

"Maxwell?"

Maxwell glances up, meets Carl's gaze. "I—" His voice actually cracks. "I've made my decision. I'm staying."

_ Don't let Carl lose another son,  _ his programming says now. This, he can agree with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tl;dr Max just deviated, which explains why he doesn't really react at all when Markus shows up in canon... although I have changed around some stuff. mostly dialogue.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Markus finally makes an appearance. (Well, an in-person appearance. Like Carl hasn't been watching him get shot at on live tv for the past couple days.)

It doesn't occur to Maxwell to make it less obvious he's an android for some time. After all, between the uniform and his led, it's...  _ painfully _ obvious. And this doesn't quite hit him until 7:31:09 PM, when the alarm helpfully informs Maxwell and Carl both that someone is entering the house downstairs.

"I'll check it out," Maxwell says, setting the book he'd been reading down. It's the sequel to the one he'd been reading a few days ago, and the main character just nearly died, again.

Carl nods slightly. "Be careful," he says, unnecessarily, and goes back to sleep.

Maxwell exits the bedroom, only to realize—he's an android. He's not supposed to be here. All the androids are supposed to be in camps by now, and there's a national curfew, and—

"Alarm deactivated," the voice says. "Welcome home, Markus."

And Maxwell  _ freezes _ . Carl's practically been glued to the television these past few days, and not without reason. Maxwell would be lying if he said he wasn't too. Because Markus? Is brave, not afraid to stand up for what's right. Or get shot for it, often enough that it's a minor miracle he hasn't given Carl a heart attack.

So Carl's, finally, getting some rest. Partially because they'd both stayed up all night when the news came that Jericho, the apparent base of the revolutionary deviants, was being raided.

There were no news of Markus, or any of the revolutionary leaders. 

Not that the news _knew_ who the other leaders were, but Maxwell would take a guess that when Markus got shot during the... march? Demonstration? The group that dragged him back to safety probably are them. Three of them, Maxwell remembers, and judging by the fact that they'd risked a lot to get Markus out of there in one piece, they had to be his friends at the very least. But there was no news of them either.

_ No news is good news, I suppose, _ Carl had said. But it had still taken quite a while for Maxwell to talk him into getting some sleep, with the promise that he'd wake him if anything happened.

No news  _ had _ apparently been good news, because—Markus is here. Right now. And Maxwell has no idea whatsoever how he's going to react. He still doesn't when Markus reaches the stairs and pauses, seeing him.

"Markus," he greets, cautiously. "I should tell you that the doctor's orders are no visitors."

Something Maxwell can't quite place, but is akin to guilt, flashes over Markus' face. 

"How is he?" Markus asks instead.

He can probably already tell that Maxwell is... deviant. Based on the fact that he's still here, although he really should find a change of clothes. Maybe Carl will let him borrow some of his. Speaking of Carl...

"He's been sleeping a lot. Watching the news. It's... I'm not entirely sure if the doctor's wrong to say no visitors."

Markus frowns, continues up the stairs. Their gazes meet, and Markus says, softly, "I can leave. I just—"

"No. He'll be glad to see you in person, and not being shot at." 

That last bit was... maybe a bit unnecessary. So Maxwell adds, "Take as long as you need. I'll... wait out here."

Markus visibly relaxes. "Thank you," he whispers. He goes for the door, but stops with his hand on it. Glances back at Maxwell. Asks, "What's your name?"

"Maxwell," he answers automatically.

"Maxwell," Markus repeats. He smiles, and says again, "Thank you."

He doesn't say what for this time. They both know he doesn't need to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said in the tags: Markus and North do date, very briefly. It lasts maybe a couple days after everything settles down, if that long, because really they're much better friends than lovers, change my mind.
> 
> ~~...also, I have alternate plans for both of them. But really, their dynamic reminds me of one of my irl friends and I. I used to have a crush on him when we were much littler, and now we're both gay whoops.~~


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is fine. (It's not fine and both of them know it, but maybe things'll turn out fine if they keep pretending.)

Markus thanks him again on the way out, but soon turns much more somber.

"I don't know if I'm going to survive tomorrow," he says, "but I'm going to do whatever it takes to free our people. If that's my death..." He sighs. Admits, in a much smaller voice, “I… don’t want to die.”

"He's proud of you," Maxwell replies. "But he's  _ terrified _ for you. And—for that matter, so am I. We don't even know each other, but I'd like to. Get to know you, that is."

Markus smiles sadly, claps him on the shoulder. "You and me both, Max. If... if tomorrow goes badly, you'll need to disguise yourself as human. Actually, you should do it as soon as possible—they haven't started raiding homes yet but I wouldn't be surprised if they start soon."

Maxwell nods. "Be careful," he says.

"I will. But if the worst comes... take care of Carl. Please."

"Of course."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In other news, apparently being in the hospital is a very, very good way to miss the fact that there's a _literal revolution_ going on. (Which is a little amusing if the person in question is the one who inadvertently caused it.)

Maxwell decides to keep most of his physical appearance, but quickly discards the uniform in favor of some old clothes Carl had in what he assumes is the guest bedroom. Grabs a faded grey t-shirt and some jeans, pulls on an old hoodie over it all. He considers, briefly, removing his led.

In the end, he does, but only because he has nothing suitable to hide it with, and he can't exactly keep his hood up all the time. It's then, when he's flushed the led down the toilet and hidden his uniform somewhere no human would think to look, that the doorbell rings.

Showtime.

Carl's still asleep, and a remote scan indicates he's physically fine for the moment, so Maxwell doesn't bother checking on him first. Instead, he heads for the door and opens it, expecting the police, or the FBI, or the National Guard, or really any number of investigators who could spell disaster for him if they learn he's an android, and a deviant one at that.

He's definitely  _ not _ expecting a scraggly looking young man who, even with a jacket hastily shoved over a hospital gown and jeans, bears a striking resemblance to Carl. Maxwell doesn't need to check the internet to know who this is.

He does anyway, because he didn't think Carl believed the message this individual had sent not a day ago.

"Leo?" Maxwell asks, cautiously. There's no traces of red ice in his system now, and a slightly more in-depth scan reveals that he's been off it since Saturday morning at the latest. Good.

Leo Manfred, for his part, visibly blanches. "Who are you," he says, equally cautious, "and how do you know my name."

He considers, for a moment, whether to trust Leo with the knowledge of him being an android or... not. Especially considering what almost certainly happened between him and Markus the last time he was here.

Best to be cautious for now. He opens the door a bit wider, smiles, and says, "I'm here to help your father. He'll be glad to see you."

Neither of those statements are outright lies, although the first one is definitely dodging the truth. And yet Leo practically wilts.

"Will he?" Leo asks, glancing at his feet. "The last time I was here, I... I got his, I got Markus killed."

"No," Maxwell says, "you didn't. Have you seen the news?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, I despised Leo Manfred, because no matter what you did, he gave his dad a heart attack and nearly killed Markus. I eventually settled on the option where he (I thought) got killed, because I didn't want to let Carl die.
> 
> Then I saw his message to Carl during Night of the Soul, _as_ Markus. And that changed... well, a lot. It turned out Markus hadn't killed the guy, for one thing. But more importantly, he apologized for everything and resolved to do better in the future, which is admirable.
> 
> So, he's not a good person. Not yet. He's pretty far from being perfect, but as long as he's trying and getting better, I support him. And I'm glad Markus didn't actually kill him. (That was, incidentally, a major factor in Markus deciding to go full-on pacifist. He tried violence, it DID NOT WORK so let's try other things.)
> 
> Lots of rambling from me today, I know, but I wanted to get that cleared up sooner rather than later. :>


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y'know, it's really, really easy to forget that the events of the game take place over less than a week. Minus Connor's bit at the beginning, of course.

Leo had not, in fact, seen the news, but briefly turning on the TV in the living room and filling him in on what the TV didn't cover worked pretty well.

"Holy shit," Leo breathes, eyes as wide as... um, something wide. "So Markus isn't just alive, he's—he's leading a fucking  _ revolution? _ "

"To be fair," Maxwell replies, "revolutions are generally violent. This one seems to be almost entirely peaceful."

"You're telling me that after Markus nearly  _ killed me _ , he started leading a  _ peaceful revolution? _ " Maxwell nods, and Leo lets out a low whistle. "You have got to be shitting me right now."

"Nope—"

But Leo isn't done. In a smaller voice, he says, "Dad... he must be so disappointed in me."

Lovely. More emotional baggage. At least helping with  _ this _ is in Maxwell’s programming.

"You came straight here from the hospital, correct?" Maxwell says, putting a hand on his shoulder. Leo glances up, and fuck, there's actual tears in his eyes—but he nods. "And you've been off red ice since then, and still are. I think he'll be just as proud of you as he is of Markus, if not more.  _ You're _ not actively putting yourself in danger for your people."

"He wouldn't—" Leo stops, stares at Maxwell. "How do you know I've been off it?"

Ah. Shit. So much for pretending not to be an android.

Instead of panicking—panicking outwardly in any case—Maxwell smiles. "I'm an AP700 model, but my name's Maxwell. Or Max. It doesn't make any difference to me anymore, and shouldn't to you."

Leo stares a bit longer, before wiping his eyes and sniffling. "God, I must look like a fucking  _ child _ ..."

"You do," Maxwell agrees, perhaps more cheekily than he should. "The hospital gown doesn't help things. If you go get changed out of that, I'll wake up Carl. I think I found some clothes that belong to you in the guest bedroom—they're certainly not Carl's style."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Speaking of Connor, I'm attempting to get my mom into D:BH by calling it a choose-your-own-adventure movie. I suspect all my efforts to teach her to use the controller will end with her throwing the controller at me at the first QTE but if push comes to shove, the first button I'm teaching her how to use is the pause button.
> 
> Wish me luck.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family bonding! Ft. the kid who's about to get shot again, and would probably have three entirely separate concussions by now if he was human.

Maxwell doesn't know for sure what Carl and Leo talked about, but when Leo comes out he looks a lot happier, as does Carl when he walks back in.

"Maxwell," Carl says softly as he does, "I've been sitting in bed too long. Can you please carry me to my chair? I can manage from there."

"Of... course," Maxwell replies. "You  _ are _ aware of the time?"

"Yes," Carl says, but he relays it anyway. 10:52:19 PM.

"Markus said he was going to do something... today," Maxwell says eventually, cautiously, as he makes sure Carl's settled in his chair and wheels him to the stairs. "Not much has happened yet."

"It's going to happen soon," Carl replies. "He told me too."

Leo's already sitting on the couch with the news on, feet up and practically glued to the TV. He scoots over to make room for Maxwell, who sits once he's made sure Carl's in a good place.

"I still can't believe that's Markus," Leo says. "I—the last time I saw him, he nearly killed me. I thought I was..." He sucks in a breath.

"He visited us last night," Carl says. "He told me to tell you he was sorry it came to that, if he saw you."

Leo blinks. "Really?"

"To be fair, he also said he wasn't sorry for defending himself, just for what it resulted in.”

Maxwell wishes he hadn't missed hearing Markus say that. Actually, he wishes Markus was here to tell Leo that in person, because his expression is priceless enough receiving the news secondhand.

Leo slumps down some, mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, "That's fair."

"Leo," Carl continues, "I can't speak for Markus, but I suspect he's forgiven you too. As it is, I'm proud of you for quitting, and for coming back."

"Withdrawal's hell," Leo says under his breath, too quietly for Carl to pick up. But, after a moment, he smiles. Mouths the words, "Thanks, Dad."

The smile fades when gunshots ring out on TV, and Markus takes a bullet to the side that would render any human a screaming, bloody mess. Androids aren't built to feel pain, but imperceptible as it is, Maxwell catches the smallest of flinches.

"My god, Markus," Carl whispers, seemingly forgetting he's here and not at the scene for a moment. "That... how are you still standing?"

"Androids can't feel pain," Maxwell says, then winces. That came out wrong. "Not the way humans do, anyway. As long as he doesn't lose too much thirium, he'll be fine."

"Or gets shot in the head," Leo adds. He grimaces. "Sorry."

As heartbreaking as it is to watch, they watch. And they keep watching, all the way from 10:56:52 PM when Markus was shot the first time, to 11:08:35 PM when an agent probably from the FBI that, as Leo aptly puts it, just  _ looks _ like an asshole, offers Markus some kind of deal.

Because Markus isn't stupid, he turns it down. Maxwell glares at the TV and has to resist the urge to perform an exceptionally offensive human gesture at it, despite the fact that it would do absolutely nothing.

Evidently, his urge was premature, because it's not five minutes before a grenade is thrown into the midst of the deviants, over the barricades, and Joss Douglas from Channel 16 admits, grimly, from a helicopter, "I can't say anything for sure, but from here it looks like Markus himself has... been killed."

The reporter sounds conflicted at the very least about it, but that doesn't stop Maxwell from actually executing his crude human gesture at the TV screen. It makes Leo laugh and Carl crack a smile, so it's not all bad.

And—

_ Take care of Carl, _ Markus had said. That's extended to Leo now, regardless of Markus' initial intentions. So, he accesses the TV's controls and turns the volume down enough that it can still be heard, but high enough that if, by some miracle, Markus gets back up, they'll hear it.

"Leo," Maxwell says, a little too loudly, "what do you like to do?"

Leo blinks, confused. "Huh?"

Maxwell looks meaningfully in Carl's direction and says, "You know, for fun. Carl likes painting. I like reading, and... I think I might like writing? Either way, I'd like to try it. What about you?"

Leo seems to get it, finally. Hesitantly, he says, "I... haven't in a while, But I used to go out for shows? Musical theater's fun, although I've... never really tried out for a role. I always did tech.”

"You should go out for something," Maxwell offers, even as his database offers very little information on what ‘going out for shows’ actually entails.

Leo laughs. "Maybe? But on the other hand, I get to be a ninja on tech, so that's cool. And actors are crazy."

That, finally, gets Carl's attention. "You get to be a  _ what _ ?"

“A ninja! We get to wear all black, and sneak around backstage, and… well…”

Maxwell gives Leo a thumbs up. Hesitantly, Leo keeps talking, slowly gaining more and more confidence. He's in the middle of a story about a time someone's phone alarm went off onstage when the reporter screams something more or less unintelligible but very, very excited.

Dubiously, Maxwell turns the volume back up, but he doesn't need to. The camera pans back to the deviants behind the barricade, and Markus, back on his feet, shoving someone out of the way of a grenade and pulling someone out of the blast of another. 

The relief in the room is probably palpable enough that the neighbors could feel it, although the tension quickly ratchets up again when the last remaining protestors are cornered. Markus, a few others, and… that’s it. It looks like all hope may be lost.

And then, at 11:59:43 PM, Joss informs them, "This is just in: President Cristina Warren is calling off the assault. She is expected to give a speech in a few minutes regarding the beginning of equal rights for androids, but until then..."

He gives the cameraman a grin, then leans out of the helicopter and yells, "MARKUS!  _ YOU'VE WON!" _

The cameraman helpfully pans down to Markus, who still looks a wreck, blue blood dripping down his coat and only just beginning to dry. He glances up, and for a moment, he looks stunned.

Then he smiles, exhausted as he looks, and gives the helicopter a two-fingered salute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update: my Mom likes Kara best, thinks Todd is human trash, and thinks Leo's going to try and murder his dad. I'm pretty sure the next chapter is Stormy Night.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Markus? Here for more than ten minutes? It's more likely than you'd think.

Markus doesn't return on Friday, or on Saturday or Sunday. In fact, Maxwell is beginning to wonder if he'll return at all—but on the other hand, he's the leader of all the androids now, he's definitely busy.

That doesn't stop him from wondering, hoping. For Carl's sake, and for Leo's sake. But also for his own, because he'd like to actually get to know Markus better than a couple of hushed, two-minute conversations mostly about someone else’s wellbeing.

Leo's in the middle of a story about the time someone fell six feet off the back of a set piece onstage, and they had to play it off like it was just part of the show so the audience didn’t panic, when it happens.

"Actors, guys. Actors are  _ wild _ . You think you know them, and then one of them trips in the wrong place and does the remaining hour and a half of the show with a broken arm."

This probably shouldn't be funny, and yet Max finds himself laughing, a little. More like snickering, and filing this away for future reference, because if he's going to be a writer, he can probably borrow a lot of stuff from Leo's crazy tech stories. It'll help once Leo gets back to working backstage, which is... a work in progress. But they're working on it.

It's then that someone clears his throat. All eyes go to the doorway, and the person standing in it, looking remarkably awkward despite the fact that he just faced up to the army without a hint of fear. He also looks a lot better when he’s not covered in thirium or full of bullet holes.

"Um, hey," Markus says, managing a wave. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

It's Carl who answers. "Certainly  _ not _ .” He smiles warmly. "Sit down, son. You're always welcome here."

Maxwell waves back. Leo hesitates, then offers a smile of his own as Markus pulls up a seat next to him.

"I'm so sorry about—about what happened, I shouldn't have—"

"Believe me, it's alright, just try not to get me shot again," Markus says. “Although—none of this would have happened if it wasn’t for you, in a way. So I  _ do _ have you to thank.”

Leo blinks. Once. Twice. “Really?”

“Really,” Markus replies. Then he smirks. “I actually had a bet going with one of my friends that the first thing you were going to do was apologize to me. She's going to need to pay up—but as I said, I don't mean to interrupt anything. Someone spent an  _ hour and a half _ onstage with a  _ broken leg? _ How are they even  _ alive? _ "

"Arm," Leo says, "but Kyle would have done it with a broken leg, too. Classic Kyle. I don't know where he is now, but I'm betting if I did enough digging, that wouldn't be the craziest stunt he's pulled. Definitely not the craziest stunt any actor I know's pulled. Did I ever tell you about Jillian? Like—okay. You know how cameras aren't allowed in theaters?"

Maxwell's heard this story before, so while Markus is listening eagerly, Maxwell tunes out a little. Smiles.

_ This is my family, _ his programming says. And he's happy.

"Maxwell," Carl cuts in sheepishly, "would you mind getting the lights in the studio? I think I left them on."

Saying, "Sure, Dad," comes naturally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The real Kyle and Jillian are amazing and I love them, I just needed names for actors and they were the first ones that popped into mind. Although Kyle probably _would_ have done an entire show with a broken arm. As for Jillian... I gotta say I was inspired by [this.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WruzPfJ9Rys) Jillian would never, probably, but neither Kyle nor Jillian will ever read this so I'm fine. Zach might which is why I went with Kyle over him.
> 
> Also, disclaimer: I've never actually been a tech ninja myself, I've always been on the acting side of things, but trust me actors are nuts. We all have our own little rituals for before shows, and after shows, and even though I don't know what the tech ones are, I know they have them. (Also, tech is just as crazy sometimes, like that time the kid on sound 'accidentally' rickrolled us all during a dress rehearsal. But they're great.)
> 
> Anyway! I wasn't kidding when I said I wrote this in one night, which is legitimately unheard of for me lol but yeah. Markus just needed a family y'know. And then I got unreasonably attached to Maxwell, and Leo, and Carl, and went "okay then, might as well start writing this thing?" I wrote this instead of sleeping that night. And I regret _nothing_ , just the fact that I don't really know what to write in DBH next. But on the other hand, I've got super spotty wifi here, and if I've learned anything since I started writing fic it's that I'm at my most productive by _far_ when my internet is unreliable, oddly enough.
> 
> But yes! I hope y'all enjoyed, and this probably won't be the last you see of DBH fic from me, not by a long shot. I've got too many ideas for that ^^;


End file.
